June writes:
"...when the baby comes (off?) the
nipple looks pinched which is on the same same side as the blister.
she
has previously had cracked and bleeding nipples  she states that she

dosent seem to be able to get the baby on as comfortably.on the
right as
well as the left side.  She feels also mentioned that she feels like
a
pulling  sensation on the side of the breast. "

We concentrate so much on getting the breast well placed from top to
bottom in baby's mouth that it is easy to lose sight of what is
happening right to left.  Is the nipple winding up centered in this
direction?  If the nipple isn't centrally placed on the areola, this
is easy to miss.  Also, especially with cradle or cross cradle, it
isn't so easy for mom to see this part.  I like to point out that
one of dad's jobs is to note whether this right-to-left centering is
occuring.  I often see babies with one cheek pressed well into the
breast and the other with a gap between cheek and breast.
It is not unusual for moms to find it easier to latch comfortably on
one breast before the other.  If it is a challenge for more than the
first day or so,  it sometimes helps to start baby on the "easy"
side in a football hold and then slip baby to the other side in a
cross cradle hold since this involves minimal change in how baby is
held.  Is she trying different holds?  I find that when injury has
occurred, it may take a little time, while that injury is healing,
for it to feel completely comfortable even when you get the most
exquisite latch.  Using a different position puts any stress on the
uninjured area of the breast/nipple instead of continuing with the
same pressures as when the injury was created.  Moms need to
distinguish between "residual" and "new" discomfort, avoid latching
too slowly in anticipation of that residual pain, and perhaps
putting ice on that nipple briefly before latch to "deaden" the
nerve endings for those first few sucks.
Does baby have any head bruising or molding?  Any asymetry to the
face?  If so, baby may be more comfortable with one side of his body
"down" than with the other.  If the chin droops, for example, to
baby's right, Lying baby on his left side to nurse might help the
jaw to return to a more "neutral" position.

Winnie

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